Perth vs Aviemore as base for gravel ride

My mate moved from Aviemore to Perth a couple of years ago. We meet up occasionally for gravel rides - almost always in the Aviemore area. 

It's definitely hard to argue against the Cairngorms, the riding around Perth might be more varied, and there's probably more historical and archeological interest, but the price of admission is more fiddly navigation, more on-and-off tarmac, more of those short sections you're just riding to get to the next good bit, and no singular epic fast descents or gruelling long climbs a la Burma Road or Cullardoch.

That being said I've got as many local bucket list rides still to tick off as I have big Cairngorms rides 😂

What sort of length days are you up for?

Probably around six hours would be my sweet spot.

I've got reasonably good technical skills 😃 so I'm not averse to some technical singletrack though I'd rather avoid bogs! I'm also not averse to short(ish) hike-a-bike or river crossings if the payoff is worth it

I'll be on a Giant Revolt with 50mm tyres (drop bars but with a dropper)

I've just done a 75-ish km gravel ride round Dalwhinnie that has a good mix of steady and more technical riding. I can heartily recommend Laggan Glamping as a nice place to base yourself, as well as The Apiary for a delicious refueling stop in Dalwhinnie itself. Got the route out of a book called Gravel Rides Scotland and there were plenty more to do in the area, including the excellent Laggan Wolftrax if you're that way inclined.

I’d second basing yourself in between. Dalwhinnie or Newtonmore or Laggan. Fantastic gravel options between Dalwhinnie, Rannoch and Loch Laggan. You also have the Gaik pass and Glen tilt close by plus All the Glen Feshie options plus routes up to the Dulnain corridor through to Carrbridge and wind farms beyond. 

If your strong enough you could ride up to the Dulnain cross over via wind farms to Loch Ness and come back over the Corrieyairack to Laggan. Your dropper post would come in handy descending the Corrieyairack. 

Posted by: vlad_the_invader

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Is the riding on the south/east side of the 'Gorms as "big mountain" as the north/west side. What about the area to further east towards to coast or the area north of Forfar?

North of Forfar are the Angus Glens. Lots of old drover roads and newer estate tracks. The newer ones are doable on a gravel bike but wouldn’t be particularly fun. It’s really mtb territory. The tracks are all pretty short as well, the Glens are all pretty tightly packed in a relatively small area. 

East of the Cairngorms and you are into Deeside. Well worth a visit but more enduro MTB territory. 

For what you describe, the Aviemore area sounds your best bet. Look at the towns and villages in the area as well, there’s a definite Aviemore “tax” on accommodation.

Dundee might be a fun base if you're really looking for alternatives, very easterly as well so often clearer weather over there than central or west (although as I recall the locals might disagree with me on that, I just have memories of more than one ride descending off the south Tayside hills and seeing the Tay Bridge in the sunshine).

Trilogy.cc did a great gravel audax route called 'The Law' although I think doing it in 6hrs would be a push, it's a hilly 135km.

However crossing the bridge and riding to Perth and taking the train home would give you loads of fun options, there is some glorious coastal scenery on the south bank, at a stretch it almost feels like British Columbia for short sections, and you pass through Pitmedden Forest which with 50mm tyres and a dropper will certainly present some fun little singletrack options.

From Dundee you can also quickly get into Tentsmuir which is a paradise of fast, relatively flat pine-needly and sand-duney singletrack. You can basically just follow the Fife Coastal path to e.g. Leuchars then retrace your steps or make more of a loop of it via the hills above Tayport. Tayport itself is a lovely base, there's the Larick campsite and the Corbie Inn, but then you're sort of committing to the East Neuk for your three days.

No doubt tonnes of other stuff in the area, I just pass through occasionally so have no doubt missed a lot of good stuff.

When are you visiting?

When are you visiting?

Tentatively, somewhere between August 22-25. I'll take a look at the maps later but Dundee sounds a little too far out for "big mountains". Maybe if I have more time.....

Thanks @clubby for the Angus Glens beta. That sounds like less ideal for me

Thanks others for suggestions. I'm also considering Blair Athol or Pitlochry area...I've stayed there previously but I only remember Dalwhinnie for the distillery and the A9 and not much else!

I'm wracking my brain to try to remember all the roues I've ridden in/around the 'Gorms as it was all pre-Strava. I'd rather do "new" stuff though I'm guessing the estate roads and stalkers trails will have changed a lot in ~25 years+ anyway and my memory has big holes in it so duplicating stuff isn't the end of the world.